Three Kenyan startups have bagged Sh.4.95M in the just- concluded fourth edition of the TotalEnergies Startupper of the Year Challenge.
This followed a rigorous judging and selection process by a jury. The three are part of the 100 winners in the 32 countries that participated in the special edition organized on the occasion of the Company’s centenary celebrations.
They were honored during an official prize-giving ceremony held at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi.
The three local winners of the Startupper of the Year Challenge in Kenya are:
VICTOR MWAURA in the Innov’Up category for best entrepreneur with MIDAS CITY
that transforms metal into bespoke 3D art pieces and offers high-quality custom design products and services for businesses and individuals.
LENNOX OCHIENG in the Cycle’Up category for best circular economy project with ECOBANA LIMITED that manufactures biodegradable sanitary towels from banana fibers, addressing period poverty in Africa.
MARTIN LUSASI in the Power’Up category for best sustainable and affordable project with BODER that facilitates electric bike purchases, offers a ride-hailing platform for eco-friendly two-wheelers with seamless rider-customer interactions.
Besides receiving Sh.1.65M each to help them develop their projects, these young entrepreneurs will also be given personalized support to develop their projects along with local visibility to boost awareness of their solutions.
1,296 Kenyan startups entered the challenge, with 15 finalists pitching their projects to a local panel of experts.
TotalEnergies’ fourth edition of the Startupper of the Year Challenge in figures:
32 participating countries
40 000 registrations submitted on the platform
14 000 complete applications